Hygrostatic controller.



H. S. GRIGSBY.

HYGROSTATIC CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 23. 1916.

1,21 9,390. Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

#522910 ff (ff/ugysqy wmwom 4 VW Z '1: .5 A? Q. ail/43, M12 9 md/ HUGH S. GRIGSBY, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

HYGROSTA'IIC CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 13, 1917.

Application filed February 23, 1916. Serial No. 80,027.

To all whom it may concern:

3e it known that I, HUGH S. GRIGSBY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hygrostatic Controllers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a hygrostati'c controller or motor designed especially for regulating the supply of steam or water to humidifiers, for automatically governing the amount of moisture discharged into the surrounding atmosphere, but which, while particularly adapted for this purpose, may be employed for transmitting motion for other analogous purposes.

The object of the invention is to provide a controller of this character which is simple and inexpensive of construction, reliable and efficient in operation, composed of one or more units capable of being assembled to vary the working stroke and power as occasion may require, and which may control the action of a valve or other regulating device.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to theaccompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a hygrostatic controller embodying my invention, as constructed in a battery or series of two elements or units, and as arranged in normal position and employed for controlling a regulating valve.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showmg the units expanded for working action.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the form of controller shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary detail View of one of theunit sections.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 3 showing the mode of combining units to vary the stroke and power of the device.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I have shown a hygrostatic controller 1 composed of a battery or series of two units or elements 2, although it is to be understood that more or less units or elements may be employed. Each of these units or elements consists of a pair of elongated strips 3 and 4, each composed of members or portions 5 and 6 respectively of hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic materials, although if desired the portions 6 of each strip may be made of a material which is normally hygroscopic but to a less degree than the portion 5, and which is consequently of a non-hygroscopic material considered with relation to the hygroscopic qualities of the portion 5. I

Preferably the portion 5 of each unit section or strip is composed of a bar or strip of seasoned porous wood cutor sawed so that the grain runs crosswise of the strip,

'while the portion 6 may be a veneering layer of some closer grained wood which is to a higher degree impervious to moisture, or it may be a layer, coating or facing of metal, wax, varnish or other suitable non-hygroscopic or relatively non-hygroscopic material, by which construction one side or face of the strip is adapted to absorb and to be affected by moisture, while the other side or face of the strip is rendered impervious to moisture.

The strips or members 3 and t of each unit are disposed vnormally in substantially parallel relation with their exposed surfaces 5 facing outwardly and their surfaces 6 back-to-back or arranged to face each other. The ends of the strips are flexibly connected for relative motion, as by means of hinges 7, so that the unit is adapted to lengthen and shorten and contract and expand. When two of these strips are hinged together at both ends and with their surfaces 6' disposed in opposing relation, any moisture commg in contact with their outer surfaces 5 W1ll cause such surfaces to longitudinally expand or lengthen relatively to the surfaces 6, thus causing the unit as a whole, through the resultant opposing bowing motion of the strips, to longitudinally contract and assume the general form of a buggy spring. The degree of expansion of the surfaces 5 will, of course, depend upon the degree of moisture present in the atmosphere, and hence the strips will bow to a greater or less extent according to hygrometric conditions, whereby the distance between the centers of the strips will be varied, as will be apparent by reference to Fig. 2.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 I have shown a hygrostatic device formed of a battery of two units arranged sideby side, the adjacent strips of the units being united centrally by a rivet or other suitable connector 8, while the outer strip of one of theunits is similarly connected by a connecting member 9 with a bracket or supporting member '10. This bracket or supporting member 10 may extend from and be secured to a pipe 11 containing a regulating valve 12 which is to -be governed by the device, and this pipe may be a conductor for steam, water or other fluid. In the present instance the valve 12 is shown as having its stem connected with a lever 13 which is slotted at its free end, as shown at 14, to slidably and pivotally receive a pin 15 at one"end of a rod 16 coupled at its opposite end by a connector 17 to the outer strip of the other unit, so that when the units of the controller are in normal condition or closed, as shown in which the humidifier is arranged the valve will be opened to regulate the supply of fluid in a reliable and 'efiicient manner to control the humidity to any degree desired.

It will of course be understood that while tice the number employed may range from a no particular form of valve, other than one of a general type, is shown the structure of the valve may be such as to adapt it to open and close at any points in the movement of the lever 13 to govern the action of the humidifier to an exceedingly accurate degree. I

As stated, any desired number of units may be employed to vary the strength and range of motion of the device, and in pracsingle unit of requisite capacity of expansion and contraction to any reasonable numher of units in abattery or series, and when desired two or more batteries or series of this character may be employed to increase the power as well as the stroke or working "range of the device as occasion may require.

In Fig. 5 I have shown a modified structure 1 which illustrates both an increase in number of units in a battery and the employment of a plurality of batteries, such view showing three batteries of three units each arranged in parallel relation and united by bridgepla tes or connectors 18,19 and 20, the connegjzors 18 uniting the adjacent surfaces of the units while the'pon'nectors 19 and" 530 couple the outersurfaces of the outer units and connect the same with the supporting bracket and valve actuating lever. It will be understood that by this construction the range of motion or stroke of the device will be increased by the additional unit in each battery, while the power of the device as a whole is increased by the use of a plurality a type not liable to get out of orderand which will be affected sensitively by variations of moisture conditions of the atmosphere to adjust the valve to regulate the supply'of moisture in a reliable and efiicient manner, the construction further enabling any desired range of stroke or power to be obtained with obvious advantages.

l-claim:

1. A hygrostat comprising a pair of flexible strips having hygroscopic and non hygroscopic surfaces, the hygroscopic surfaces of said strips being arranged .face to face, said strips being connected for relatively bowing actions under the influence'of moisture.

2; A. hygrostat comprising a pair of flexible strips having hygroscopic and non- ,hygroscopic surfaces, the non-hygroscopic surfaces of said strips being arranged face to face, and means flexibly connecting said strips at their ends for relative bowing actions.

3. A hygrostat comprising a pair of strips having hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic surfaces, and means hingedly connecting said strips at their extremities" with their similar'surfaces in such relation as to adapt sai strips to relatively bow outwardly under t influence of moisture.

14. A hygrostat comprising a pair of strips of hygroscopic material, having exposed sur faces and other surfaces provided with a coating of non-hygroscopic material, and means yieldingly connecting the ends of said strips with their non-hygroscopic surfaces in juxtaposed relation.

'5. A hygrostat comprising a pair of strips having outer exposed hygroscopic surfaces and inner surfaces provided with non-hygroscopic coating, and connecting means uniting the ends ofthe stripsfor a relative bowing action, a V I 6. A hygrostat comprising apair of strips composed of a wood having a capacity of freely absorbing moisture, said strips being provided withouter-h ncovered surfaces and inner surfaces covered with protecting layers of non-hygroscopic material, and means uniting said strips at their ends'for bowing motion in opposite directions.

7. A hygrostat cdmprising a plurality of units, each gomposed of a pair of flexible strips having hygrosco ic and non-hygroscopic surfaces, the nonygroscopic surfaces of the strips being arranged face to face,

said strips being flexibly united for bowing motions, adjacent strips of the units being united.

8. A hygroscopic controlling device including a conductor, an element governing the flow of fluid along said conductor, a

hygroscopic element composed of members having hygroscopic and non-hygroscopic surfaces, said members having their nonhygroscopic surfaces in uXtapOSed relation 10 and being connected for'relative outward bowing motion under the influence of moisture, and means connecting said hygrostatic element with said governing element for transmitting governing motion thereto.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature 15 in presence of two Witnesses.

HUGH S. GRIGSBY. Witnesses:

ERNST V. FARLEY, A. L. TENsER, J r. 

